These Chocolate Covered Cherry Magic Bars and their brownie base are the delicious candy made into a decadent dessert! Of all the magic bar variations, this one might be the most decadent. These 7 layer magic bars are made without graham crackers and without coconut for a different twist on a classic recipe.
If you are looking for other great magic bars, make sure you try these S’mores Magic Bars, these Milky Way Magic Bars and these Strawberries and Cream Magic Bars. Or make original magic cookie bars.
It has come to my attention in the last week that Piper isn’t a baby anymore. She’s like a for real kid. (I just want you to know that I can hear your collective “Duh.” and I really don’t appreciate it.)
She is making all of her wants and needs very clear. She is doing things in an attempt to be funny (and totally succeeding) and she wants to do anything and everything that her older brother and sister are doing. In short, she is in the thick of it.
You guys yesterday we watched her take the sword from Gavin’s Knight Costume and walk up to Quinn (who was sitting at the kitchen counter on a stool), and with a huge grin, she started smacking Quinn with it. When Quinn started to whine and cry, Piper did her very familiar pucker up move, letting Quinn know she wanted to give her a kiss.
Quinn, thinking all is safe, climbs down from the stool, and gives her little sister a kiss, only to then be smacked again with the sword, but harder now because they are on the same level. And because we are horrible parents we just stood there observing the whole thing and remarking to each other that our baby isn’t a baby anymore. (Is it wrong that as someone with two older siblings, a small part of me took some joy in it??)
So the perfect thing to drown my sorrows in my baby becoming a KID? Is these amazing Chocolate Covered Cherry Magic Bars. Guys, I legit do not do my magic bars by the book. First, I generally skimp on the number of layers, going from like 7 to like 4. And I also love to shove a layer of sugar cookie in there. But this time? This time I shoved a layer of BROWNIE in there. Sooooooo, delicious.
And if you are really sad about your baby becoming a KID? Well then you make a huge tower of them and you top it with ice cream and fudge sauce. (Okay, see that collective “Duh” I feel good about.)
TIPS ON HOW TO MAKE THESE MAGIC BARS
- Make sure you are using Sweetened Condensed Milk and not Evaporated Milk. The containers are virtually identically and sold right next to each other so it’s an easy mistake to make, but they are very very different.
- Make sure you don’t use extra sweetened condensed milk. You aren’t using a whole can. Just 6 ounces.
- These need to cool and set before you cut into them. They will still be gooey, but delicious.
Chocolate Covered Cherry Magic Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purposed flour scooped and leveled – see note
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 stick butter 8 TBSPS
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 eggs
- 10 oz jar of maraschino cherries drained and cut in half
- 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk not evaporated milk
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9 by 13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and cocoa powder.
- Melt together the butter and 1/4 cup chocolate chips in the microwave on 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until smooth.
- Mix the melted chocolate/butter, eggs, and vanilla into the dry ingredients until fully combined. Press into the bottom of the baking dish.
- Top the brownie mixture with the cherries, chocolate chips, and then the sweetened condensed milk.
- Bake for 28 to 30 minutes until the edges are golden brown. Allow to set up overnight before cutting and serving.
Notes
Bev says
Hi Lisa!
These look absolutely amazing! Can you make these using a brownie mix? Please give me any suggestions.
Thanks so much!
Bev
I haven’t tried this with a brownie mix, but I think it would be fine. You might need to adjust the baking time to make it a big longer.
Kayla Yack says
I used this (slightly tweaked) recipe in my cookie boxes this Christmas and they are the new favorite. (I cooked the cherries, sweetened condensed milk and a bit of red food coloring on the stove before putting them on to reduced the moister. I also melted the chocolate chips at the end so it could be drizzled on.) The chocolate cookie base is my new go to for any chocolate bar I want to make. I mixed chopped Andes Mints in to the base and then topped it with Junior Mints instead of cherries to make super minty chocolate cream bar. These also went over really well but i had to put them in a Ziplocs or the whole box would have tasted like mint. Great job I’m sure this is going to be one of those recipes everybody requests like Carmel Bars and Peanut Butter Blossoms.
I’m so happy to hear that these were such a hit, Kayla! I love your mint spin!
Margo says
I’m going to convert to make the re I’ve gluten and dairy free. My question is has anyone made these using fresh cherries. I have a tart cherry tree. I wondered if it would be too much liquid.
Gloria McKay says
I Would Love To Recive More Recipies From You… I’m Collecting More And Enjoying Them All… This Chocolate Covered Cherry Magic Sounds Fab!!! Excited To Try It… Thanks Again In Advance….
Hilda Looyenga says
Can these bars be frozen?
Yes!
Nanc says
Very worthy! I’ve made several times, these freeze well for a quick treat to satisfy the sweet tooth. I found these easy to make from scratch.
I’m so glad you like them!
ILoveSweets says
Mmmmmmm caaaarbs 🤤 so yeah, these are absolutely amazing! Portion to your liking and freeze individually. You’ll not be sorry. I promise! To the author….this recipe feels like a complete and personal affront to any weight loss efforts that I may or may not be trying to implement at this time. 🤣🤣
I made a low carb/sf version as well. They were pretty okay i guess if you enjoy the taste of sadness and disappointment.
“The taste of sadness and disappointment” lololololol! Thank you, this made me laugh SO hard. I even forwarded it on to some of my best friends because it was too good not to share.
Pat says
The brownie layer looks very thin, I wonder about doubling just the brownie layer?
I think you might find that to be a little too rich. If you decide to do that, keep in mind that it will take quite a bit longer to bake.
Pat says
I made them according to the recipe & they turned out great. yummy!
Deb Butterworth says
Are these chocolate covered cherry bars able to be shipped? Wondering if they should be refrigerated. My step-dad would LOVE these!
They don’t need to be refrigerated. I would pack them in whatever container you send them in pretty tightly. That will make it less likely that they break apart when shipped. I hope your step-dad likes them!